The Memphis-Bird electric scooters agreement: What you should know

The good: a new breed of electric scooter is easy to obtain, via an app, and can be dropped anywhere. The bad: streets are littered with stray scooters and pedestrians are upset. Jefferson Graham reports from Santa Monica
USA TODAY

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Two Bird electric scooters perch outside Memphis City Hall on June 19, 2018, three days after the company deployed 200 of the scooters in the city.(Photo: Ryan Poe / The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

Bird electric scooters, a hit with fervid fans in Nashville earlier this year, hit city officials with the force of a bus, leading to the city eventually clipping Bird's wings.

In Memphis, city officials and Bird took a different approach in hopes of avoiding those issues, setting the ground rules at the outset of last week's 200-scooter roll out. The 30-day operating agreement will serve until the City Council approves a "shared mobility" ordinance to regulate rental scooters, bicycles and motorized bicycles.

Tuesday, a Memphis City Council voted to recommend approval of an ordinance crafted by Mayor Jim Strickland's administration and sponsored by council member Kemp Conrad, as well as a number of other council members. The vote is on track to receive a final vote from the council on July 24, meaning the agreement will need extending.

"This is just something that can prove to the world that Memphis is ready, that Memphis is open to business, and that Memphis makes accommodations for things we want," said council chairman Berlin Boyd, one of Conrad's co-sponsors.

Here are some of the highlights from the agreement, which began June 15:

1. Memphis gets paid

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Bird will pay a one-time, $500 fee for a permit with an annual $250 renewal fee. The company will also pay $50 per scooter up to $20,000, with the funds covering any city costs related to the improper use of the scooters.

Bird will also pay the city $1 per scooter per day — $73,000 per year for 200 scooters — with the funds set aside for construction of "new shared mobility infrastructure, promotion of safe driving, or maintenance of shared infrastructure."

2. Helmets are 'encouraged'

Even though riders are supposed to stick to streets or, when possible, to bike lanes, the city isn't requiring helmets except for minors.

Memphis City Council chairman Berlin Boyd (left) and council member Kemp Conrad test ride a couple of Bird scooters, which are set to roll out in Memphis as soon as Friday.(Photo: Courtesy of Kemp Conrad)

3. Bird commits to 'low-income' outreach

One of the requirements is that Bird launch a citywide "marketing and targeted community outreach." The company can also pay the city to promote the use of scooters, according to the agreement. Either way, the city is requiring the outreach "particularly among low-income communities."

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Bird electric scooters await riders in Memphis' Civic Plaza next to City Hall on June 19, 2018. Bird rolled out 200 scooters in the city three days before.(Photo: Ryan Poe / The Commercial Appeal)

4. Memphis set parking rules

The city is requiring Bird users to take photos of their parked scooters before ending their ride, a safeguard against disobeying parking rules.

Generally, you're supposed to park the scooters in the furniture zones of sidewalks — the part of the sidewalk between the curb and pedestrian thoroughfare that includes park benches, streetlights and other "furniture."

On-street parking spaces can be used if there are no appropriate furniture zones.

Here are some of the areas where parking is banned: in commercial loading areas, handicap parking spots, transit zones, curb ramps, driveways and other entryways.

The city is also requiring Bird to maintain a 24-hour customer service hotline that will handle complaints and safety concerns.